The United States military has seized another tanker linked to Iranian oil smuggling, escalating the maritime confrontation in the Indian Ocean. The Department of Defence released footage showing American forces boarding the Majestic X, a Guyana-flagged vessel intercepted between Sri Lanka and Indonesia.

This follows the recent interdiction of the tanker Tifani in the same region. The Majestic X, previously known as Phonix, had been sanctioned in 2024 for transporting prohibited Iranian crude towards Zhoushan, China.

A Pentagon statement emphasised that global maritime enforcement operations would continue to disrupt illicit networks and interdict vessels providing material support to Iran wherever they operate.

The seizure comes just a day after Iran’s Revolutionary Guards attacked three cargo ships in the Strait of Hormuz, capturing two of them.

This waterway is critical, handling around 20 per cent of global oil trade. Despite President Trump’s recent extension of a ceasefire, the United States continues to enforce a blockade of Iranian ports, effectively halting exports through the strait.

The confrontation has already triggered severe economic consequences worldwide. Brent crude has surged past $100 per barrel, representing a 35 per cent increase from pre-conflict levels. European Energy Commissioner Dan Jørgensen warned that the disruption is costing Europe approximately $600 million daily.

Iran has yet to issue an official response to the latest seizure, and there is no indication of a resolution to the blockade.

President Trump has further intensified the stand-off by ordering the US Navy to “shoot and kill” any vessel caught planting mines in the Strait of Hormuz. In a social media post, he declared that there should be no hesitation in targeting small boats engaged in mining activities, claiming that Iran’s naval fleet had already been destroyed.

He also directed mine-clearing operations to be intensified at “a tripled up level,” stressing the importance of restoring the flow of global energy supplies.

US Central Command has deployed warships to initiate mine-sweeping operations, though Iranian officials deny laying explosives and have labelled the American presence as provocative.

The strait remains effectively shuttered, with both sides employing blockade tactics to gain leverage in stalled peace negotiations. Trump’s directive signals a shift towards more aggressive enforcement of maritime security, even as the fragile ceasefire continues on other fronts.

Agencies